40 MR. ASSHETON SMITH 



immense power for his height, and equal to carry almost 

 any weight. 



Of the late Assheton Smith it would be almost super- 

 fluous to write more, since so much has been already 

 written by other pens besides my own. That he was 

 a most fearless, determined performer across country 

 all will admit who have ever ridden with him ; but I 

 have seen better horsemen, and in my humble opinion 

 he got too many falls. His seat in the saddle was loose 

 and careless, hke that of many enthusiastic huntsmen, 

 who are generally too intent on their hounds to pay 

 much attention to their horse, or where he is going ; 

 but of his pluck there could be no doubt, and he was 

 unquestionably one of the cleverest huntsmen of his 

 time, combining the utmost quickness with the greatest 

 patience. 



I have often seen him with his own hounds, both in 

 difficulties, and when things went well, and I never saw 

 any man handle his pack more scientifically than Assheton 

 Smith. He was not afraid of his hounds, which so many 

 huntsmen really are, although they will not confess it. 

 He would trust them anywhere. They were not cooped 

 up and huddled together by whippers-in round his horse's 

 heels, but had free scope to trot along as they pleased 

 when going from covert to covert, and the crack of the 

 whip was seldom heard. In chase, Assheton Smith was 

 cheery and cheerful, but at a sudden check he became 

 instantly quiet, giving his hounds time to recover the 

 scent before he interfered with them. With him it was 

 an established maxim that a huntsman should always 

 he with his hounds, and from this rule there are few 

 instances on record of his ever departing. With them 

 he would be, at any risk or any hazard, no matter what 



